Longitudinal changes in plasma Transforming growth factor beta-1 and post-burn scarring in children

We discovered that the plasma levels of Transforming growth factor beta-1 rapidly increased to significantly higher levels in the first two weeks post-injury and fell thereafter, in patients who healed with good quality scars post-burn. By contrast, the increase in plasma TGFβ1 levels in the early stages after-burn, was noticeably absent in patients who developed hypertrophic scarring. We propose that this change in the systemic levels of TGFβ1 early after the burn may be used as an indicator of patients at risk of developing hypertrophic burn scars. This group of patients could then be targeted for early pharmacological/physical interventions to reduce/prevent scar-related morbidity in burn survivors.